The Advocate’s first female editor-in-chief, Judy Wieder, chronicles her fascinating life — which included time as a folk singer, disco songwriter, and hair band journalist — in Random Events Tend to Cluster. BY TRACY E. GILCHRIST With a career that includes gigs and jobs as far-flung as folk singer, gold-record winning songwriter of the disco …

Rave Reviews for Judy’s New Book

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About Judy Wieder

An accomplished songwriter, Judy has had more than 40 songs recorded from 1977 to 2003 (including the disco-era classics “Star Love,” “It Must Be Love,”and “You Got Me Running”). She’s topped the dance and pop charts twice and has captured one Grammy Award, two Grammy nominations, and multiple gold and platinum albums.

Judy has toured, edited, and written for several rock and music publications including Creem, Cream Metal, and RIP!

In 1992, Judy became the Editor of Genre magazine for a year before joining The Advocate as Arts & Entertainment Editor. Over a period of four years she rose through the ranks to become the first female Editor in Chief in the then 35-year history of the publication. After steering the magazine through the diverse challenges of the mid-and-late-90s’ equal rights movement, Judy was named Editorial Director of OUT magazine, The Advocate, Advocate.com, Alyson Books, and The OutTraveler from 2002—2006.

Judy’s personal accomplishments include the “Outstanding Leadership” award from the Human Rights Campaign, and the “Leadership Award” from the National LGBTQ Task Force. She is on the board of the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, and a 37-year member of both the National Academy of Arts & Sciences and Broadcast Music Inc. She is a founding member of the Planetary Society, and supports Ka Lokahi Native Planting in the Hawaiian marshes. An enthusiastic supporter of Kailua-Kona’s Hawai’i Island Humane Society, Judy has written often about the innovative Animal Community Center they are developing.

Random Events Tend To Cluster, (Lisa Hagan Books), is her first major book.

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Events

How would you like to have a conversation with a classical musician, a folk singer, a Grammy winning songwriter, a rock and roll journalist, and the first woman Editor-in-Chief of The Advocate, the national LGBT Newsmagazine of Record? Judy Wieder is all of those people, and she’s written “Random Events Tend To Cluster,” a lively memoir about all that and more.

She takes the reader on a tour through her adventures and weaves in random events in our recent history to contextualize her experiences, and our own.

Please come and meet Judy. She’ll share excerpts from her book and, if you’d like to buy one, you can take home a signed copy for $18 (cash or check only).

Author’s Cafe 2017: Print, Podcasts & Pastries

The Author’s Cafe was back with a twist! In addition to bringing authors and book lovers together, this year NLGJA welcomed podcasters to the Author’s Cafe. LGBTQ authors and podcasters shared their latest and greatest, offering guests a real opportunity to engage in intimate conversation with the pros and soon to be pros.

Authors: 2017 National Convention, Friday, September 8 at 2:15 pm.

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Gallery

Running through NYC in the 60s with a song in my heart!

Judy in her Angela Davis years

Judy writing for R&B recording artists

Judy and Michael Jackson during our many Right On! days together in the ’70s

Joe Jackson (father of Jackson 5) and Judy scheduling interviews with his sons

Judy and Mark Wahlberg

Judy Wieder’s endless interviews with rock bands!

The hits, major and minor

#1 On the KISS-FM Charts

Grammy

Judy and Ozzy Osbourne at a London recording session during her hard-rock life

My VERY loud friends!

Me ‘n Melissa (Etheridge)

Judy and the late Sarah Pettit (two Editors in Chief with much affection and admiration between them).

Judy’s editor photo before the stress hit her hair hard!

The cover that caused a commotion

Judy Wieder – Bruce Springsteen Advocate Interview

Betty DeGeneres (Ellen’s mother) and Judy at Betty’s book launch party for Advocate Books–for which Judy was Editorial Director.